By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) and Global Health Advocacy Incubator, has disclosed that there are about 2.4 million children that are assigned as zero-dose in Nigeria.
The organisation revealed the data during a One-day Multi-Stakeholder Technical Workshop organized by non-government organizations; Global Health Advocacy Incubator and Vaccine Network for Disease Control.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Zero-dose children are defined as not having received the first dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) containing vaccines.
Speaking at the meeting, Mrs Chika Offor, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Vaccine Network for Disease Control, said the Global Health Advocacy Incubator uses the power of advocacy to reduce preventable deaths and to improve health at scale by changing policies and strengthening systems.
According to her, GAVI has been at the forefront of helping Nigeria in funding especially in areas of Primary Health Care (PHC) and immunization campaign.
She explained that the meeting is a stakeholders technical workshop to co-develop and review domestic resources, mobilization and strategies for state immunization and primary health care.
Offor stated that GAVi is supporting Kwara to ensure there is multi approach, where all stakeholders pool in resources, strategies and passion for success in further development of PHC and immunization programmes in the state.
She observed that the stakeholders at the workshop have resolved that there is need for more funding for PHC and immunization programmes across the 16 Local Government Areas of Kwara.
She explained that the recommendations made were both for short and long term approaches.
“The workshop also recommended involvement of the Local Government Areas (LGAs) and state government in provision of fund to support primary health care centres in a phased approach,” she said.
Offor added that there is need for increase in health insurance funding, from one per cent to two per cent, at the state level.
“We also talked about increase in health budget in the state. The state is doing well with 11 per cent but we cannot stop.
“This is because everyday new vaccines are introduced. With this new vaccines being introduced, it’s money. And the state has to support the FG and the LGAs across the state,” she said.
She added that a certain percentage of Value Added Tax (VAT), should be allocated to PHCs and immunization, from both the atate and local government level, adding that it would go a long way to improve health care sector.
Earlier in her opening remark, Dr. Amina El-Imam, the Kwara Commissioner for Health commended the organizers, while stating the need to improve the number of vaccinated children in the state.
According to her, it is important that vaccine network is in the state in order to gear all stakeholders towards promotion of primary health care.
She reiterated the resolve that the state government is committed to vaccination of all children, adding that the programme aimed to improv the lives of children in the state.
Also speaking, Dr Nusirat Elelu, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency emphasised the need for more funding geared towards PHC and immunization.
She reiterated the resolve of Gov. Abdulrahaman AbdulRazak of Kwara in ensuring the revamping of the health system in the state.